About 300 farmers who staged a protest on Sunday morning opposing construction of a barrage by Kerala across Silandhi river, a tributary of the Amaravathi, were arrested by the police.
The farmers were blocked by the police at the check-post, along the Udumalpet-Munnar Road, where they sat in protest and raised slogans criticising Kerala government for acting against the Supreme Court directive on water-sharing by Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
State Coordinator of Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Protection Association Eason Murugasamy demanded that Tamil Nadu government immediately take steps to prevent Kerala from constructing the barrage and diverting the water source of the State. ”It is shameful that construction materials for the barrage are transported from Tamil Nadu by 50 trucks every day,” Mr. Murugasamy said, wondering if the State government was serious about safeguarding the interests of its farmers. “If the State government fails to act on the issue, farmers will block all routes to Kerala,” he said.
A large posse of policemen, led by Udumalpet DSP Sukumaran, were deployed for security. All the farmers who were arrested and lodged in a private marriage hall were released later in the day. In view of the protest, vehicles coming from Kerala towards Tamil Nadu were diverted through Amaravati Nagar, for the hour-long protest duration.
